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Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Triple Creme and Apple Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Triple Creme and Apple Salad with Honey Vinaigrette


Carleton from Champlain Valley Creamery suggests using a sweet vinaigrette on salad made with the triple creme. Serves 6.

For the vinaigrette (inspired by Champlain Valley Apiaries recipe):
1 TB honey
6 TB balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sunflower or extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 shallot, minced
1 TB chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

6 - 8 cups claytonia or other salad greens
1 Macintosh apple, cored and cut in a 1/4 dice
1/2 cup roasted beets, cut in a 1/4 dice
1/2 crottin triple creme cheese, cut into small pieces
handful pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until ingredients are completely combined. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Place greens in a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Dress with vinaigrette to taste. Toss and serve.

Blue Cheese, Apple & Leek Tart with a Spiced Whole-Wheat Crust


I recently came across this recipe in the 2007 Appetizer issue of Fine Cooking Magazine. I plan to serve it, as adapted, as an appetizer for Christmas dinner. Serves 8-10.

For the tart shell:
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 oz) sifted whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground mace
pinch cayenne
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits
4 - 6 TB ice water

For the filling:
1 medium leek, light and green parts only, split lengthwise, sliced crosswise, washed and drained
1 TB unsalted butter
1 medium apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/4 dice
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 lb blue cheese, trimmed of rind and crumbled

To make the shell, stir the two flours, coriander, mace, cayenne and salt together in a medium bowl or food processor. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter bits resemble oatmeal. Mix in just enough ice water to form a ball of dough. Gently flatten into a smooth disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Drape the dough over the rolling pin and place over a 10-11 fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Fit into pan, trimming any excess, making sure there are no holes in the pastry dough where the filling may leak out. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge while you prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 375F. To make the filling, heat butter in a medium skillet; add the leeks and apples. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the leeks are brightly colored and the apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Lightly beat the eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Place the tart pan with dough on a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Distribute the cooled leek mixture evenly over the tart dough. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese over the mixture. Pour the custard over the top. Bake until the custard has set in the middle and the top begins to turn golden, about 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Carrot with Toasted Almond Soup

Carrot with Toasted Almond Soup


Beth Lewis, one of our shareholders, highly recommends this recipe from Epicurious.com. As she said, even the kids like it! I've modified it slightly to reflect the contents of this week's share. Garnish with plain yogurt or creme fraiche, if it's in your fridge. Serves 4 as a first course.

1 cup sliced shallots (about 4 large)
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Rounded 3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/3 tsp dried, crumbled
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 small boiling potato (3 oz), peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
1 1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz), or vegetable stock
1 cup applesauce
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Cook shallots, bay leaf, ginger, curry powder, and thyme in butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened and pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add potato to shallot mixture along with carrots, broth, applesauce, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until carrots are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Purée soup in 2 batches in a blender until smooth, transferring as blended to a large bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to saucepan to reheat if necessary. Serve soup sprinkled with almonds.

Cooks' notes:
•Soup can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat over low heat. Thin with additional water if necessary.
•Almonds can be toasted 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Swede Hollow Café Pumpkin Cookies

Swede Hollow Café Pumpkin Cookies


One of our shareholders, Joyce Hendley, who also happens to be a contributing editor at Eating Well magazine, sent me this recipe last week. She has been making and enjoying them. I agree with Joyce, it's a great and different way to use winter squash. (Adapted from Fresh from the Garden, a cookbook by the Children's Garden Project, Minneapolis). Makes about 3 dozen.

Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar (try using all or part maple sugar)
1 large egg
1 cup pureed cooked pumpkin or other winter squash
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup maple or brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350? F. Grease 3 baking sheets or line with parchment or silpat. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add egg; beat until blended. Beat in squash and vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add into butter mixture, beating just until blended. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake, one sheet at a time if possible, 11 to 13 minutes or until firm and lightly browned at edges, 12-15 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough; cool completely on a rack.

To make frosting, place butter in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high until melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in sugar and salt; microwave on high 1 to 1 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Beat in milk on medium-low speed until blended. Continue beating and add confectioners' sugar gradually, until smooth, creamy and spreadable. Frost cooled cookies.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan


The cranberry juice adds a local touch to this festive cocktail. Serves 6.

1 1/4 ounces Vermont Spirits or Sunshine Vodka* (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
1/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 3/4 tablespoon)
1/4 ounce Cointreau (about 3/4 tablespoon)
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1 cup ice cubes

In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients. Shake well and strain into a Martini glass.

*Although I was going to recommend Vermont Spirits Gold vodka, made from distilled Vermont maple syrup, their website suggests that other vodkas are preferable for cocktails mixed with fruit juice.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Sweet Turnip Salad with Yogurt

Sweet Salad Turnip Salad with Yogurt


Adapted from The Silver Spoon Cookbook. Serves 4.

4 small to medium sweet salad turnips, thinly sliced
1 apple
scant 1/2 cup plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
minced fresh parsley for garnish

Place sliced turnips in a salad bowl. Peel and core apple and cut into wedges. Using a very sharp knife, cut the wedges into water-thin slices and add to the turnips. Combine the yogurt and a pinch of pepper in a bowl, add to the salad, toss, garnish with parsley and serve.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and Squeak


This dish is said to be named after the sound that the vegetable mixture makes as it fries. Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serves 4.

1 lb yellow potatoes, peeled (optionally) and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 lb red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cover potatoes with cold salted water by 1 inch and bring to a boil, then boil, uncovered, until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 18 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Heat butter in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté cabbage with salt and pepper, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, mashing and stirring them into cabbage while leaving some lumps and pressing to form a cake. Cook, without stirring, until underside is crusty and golden, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Three Sisters Chipotle Chili

Three Sisters Chipotle Chili


In this recipe, pureed winter squash takes the place of tomatoes as the base of the chili. The addition of black beans and corn gives us all three of the American Indian mythical sisters. I like this chili made with pork, but you could substitute tempeh or leave the meat out all together. Serves 10.

2 TB sunflower oil or lard
3lbs pork chops cut into 3/4 cubes, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 lg. onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup lager, such as Otter Creek Vermont Lager
1 cup chicken or vegetable both
3 cups pureed winter squash
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 chopped chipotle chilies in adobo, plus 2 tsp sauce (or more to taste)
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups cooked black beans
2 cups cooked Jacob’s Cattle or other white beans
1/4 cup maple syrup, or to taste
apple cider (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat oil or lard in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown pork on all sides in batches. Reserve browned pork on the side. Add onion and garlic to empty pan, sauté, stirring frequently, until soft and turning brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add lager and broth, stirring to deglaze the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer rapidly for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid. Add squash, cumin oregano and chilies. Bring to a simmer. Add browned pork and both types of beans. Add syrup, to taste. If chili is too thick for your liking, add extra broth or apple cider as needed. Add frozen corn. Bring back to a simmer. Cover and bake in a 350F oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Season with salt, pepper and cumin to taste. Serve warm, garnished with a dollop of crème fraiche and chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Roasted Beet, Shoot and Sprout Salad

Roasted Beet, Shoot and Sprout Salad


Serve this salad with a slice of the focaccia on the side for a light lunch or dinner, or serve it as an accompaniment for a heartier meal. Serves 4.

1 TB apple cider or white wine vinegar
1 TB minced shallot (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 TB sunflower or extra virgin olive oil

4 small to medium roasted beets, chopped in 1/2 pieces*
2 cups mixed sunflower and radish shoots
1 cup sprouted beans
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1 TB toasted pine nuts

To make the dressing, combine the first 8 ingredients in a food processor. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Toss together the beets, shoots, and sprouts. Sprinkle with cheese and pine nuts. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing.

*See instructions for roasting beets in the Storage & Use section at the top of the newsletter.

Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Roasted Root Vegetables with Chermoula

Roasted Root Vegetables with Chermoula


Carolyn Malcoun contributed this Eating Well recipe a couple of weeks back. I've modified it to better represent the vegetables in this week's share. If you don't still have any winter squash on hand, you can any other root vegetables you have. The vegetables are roasted with chermoula (also spelled charmoula), a quintessential Moroccan spice combination. (Any combination will work in this dish; start with about 12 cups of peeled vegetable pieces.) Serves 6.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons paprika, preferably sweet Hungarian
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
8 ounces peeled and seeded winter squash, cut into 1-inch chunks

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place oil, garlic, paprika, cumin and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse or blend until smooth. Place all the vegetables in a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the pieces in a single layer. Toss with the spiced oil mixture until well combined. Roast the vegetables, stirring once or twice, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

Carolyn suggests serving the delicious roots with a dollop of plain yogurt.

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